No Place That Far
by finallyxfound
Summary: ANGELCHARMED CROSSOVER. POSTYOU'RE WELCOME ANGEL S5EPISODE IS TOYED WITH AND CORDELIA DOESN'T END UP DEAD, BUT TAKING A DIFFERENT ROAD THEN EXPECTED.
1. One

**_PART ONE_**  
_  
START AT "YOU'RE WELCOME" ENDING SCENE._  
  
**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
ANGEL'S OFFICE- WOLFRAM & HART**  
  
"Oh, what the hell, one for the road." Cordelia turned back around and walked straight into Angel's arms, kissing his lips and holding on to him. The phone rings in the distance on his desk.  
"I don't have to get that."  
"No, you don't." She still is embraced in his arms. Straightening his tie, "But I have to go."  
"Why?"  
"Because I'm not going to work for Wolfram & Hart, Angel." She said, looking into his eyes, meaning every word. He let go, and ran his fingers through the ringlets on her face.  
"Please don't."  
"I have to Angel. I would love to stay here and be with you and fight the good fight again. But I'm not going to work in this building for those people and pretend everything is alright." She said, watching him sit down on the leather couch. "Don't do that."  
"What?"  
"Go into full brood mode. Don't do that to me."  
"I'm not doing anything to you. You the one that's leaving me in the cold, Cordelia."  
"Bull, Angel." She paused and tried to sit next to him, but he got up from the couch. "This is what I'm going to do. Like it or not, you're gonna hear about this, so deal." A beat stood between the sentences. "I'm going to San Francisco. Going to fight the good fight there, since you seem to have everything under control here." She said, watching him pace back and forth in front of her. Spike entered the office, looking for the both of them.  
"Are you guys coming? Everyone is getting pretty ticked that you're both not there."  
"No, we're not coming Spike." Angel lashed out at the blond vampire.  
"Angel!" Cordelia stood up and walked over to Spike. "Sorry about that. We just got to talking about things. Can you come and help me with my suitcase?" She asked him, taking his hand and taking him over to the private elevator. When the doors opened, they both got into the shaft and heard Angel toss the stuff off his desk and into the wall. The doors closed and Spike looked over at the lovely brunette with tears in her eyes.  
"You okay, pet?" He asked as he saw her wipe away the tears from her face.  
"I'll be fine."  
"Doesn't look like it." He looked at her with the utmost concern. "Look, I know that we aren't the greatest of friends, but you can talk to me."  
"I know Spike." The doors opened and she entered Angel's penthouse apartment, rushing to the closet for a spare suitcase that she knew Angel had. "Can I ask you a favor? I mean, favors?"  
"Sure. But I'm not wearing anything for you. No necklaces, rings, amulets, etc.."  
"Darn, than that totally vetoes the little skimpy blue g-string I had in mind." She said sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she gathered up the clothes that they had bought two days before and her old ones as well. "Once I leave, can you get the rest of my stuff and send it to this address?" She handed him a slip of paper.  
"Is all your stuff here?"  
"Right here in this little penthouse." She said to him.  
"Yeah, I can do that."  
"Can you do me one other favor?"  
"What's that?"  
"Take the visions."  
"What?"  
"Take the visions for me. I can't help Angel; even with the visions." She paused and sat down on the mattress. "I need you to take the visions. Would you do that for me?"  
"Why? You're the only thing that connects Angel to this world, Cordelia. Why are you leaving?"  
"Because I can't work for Wolfram & Hart. They have caused too much mayhem and destruction to everything and I don't want to be a part of that. Even with Angel here."  
"But he..."  
"Don't say it Spike." She held up her hand as he took a seat by her side. "I do too. You know, that L word. But, this Wolfram & Hart thing, it's too much." She started to sob as he placed his arm behind her back, supporting her frame as she cried on his shoulder. Grabbing a tissue box off the nightstand, he handed it to her.  
"I'll do it then, for you." He paused as she looked up. "And for him."  
"Thank you."  
  
Spike and Gunn removed the last box of Cordelia's from Angel's penthouse. He sat there on the bed, looking so sad and outcast from the rest of the world. Which he was, but even more so now since she was gone. Two days already had passed with her in San Francisco. Spike had taken on her visions with a simple gesture of a kiss. He hadn't had the first vision yet, but she told him to keep the flask around and a big bottle of pain killers, which he had conveniently stashed in the pocket of his leather jacket. She had called him early this morning to let him know that she was there. He liked that about her, that she actually made the time to call and wanted to let her family that she was still on the Earthly plane. They bumped into Angel's dresser and knocked over the pictures that were on top of them. One frame fell to the floor and Angel went to pick it up. Looking into the frame, Angel crouched down on the floor and ran his hands over the picture.  
"Angel?" Spike asked, wondering how his friend was.  
"Leave it, this box is heavy. What on earth does she have in here?"  
"Clothes, what else?" Spike and Gunn closed into the elevator as Wesley came out of it, going towards Angel who was still crouched on the ground. He knelt down and patted Angel on the back, hoping he could help since they had both been with her since the beginning.  
"Come on. We need to get out of here." He grabbed Angel and steered him towards the elevator. As they entered, Angel finally was willing to talk.  
"She was it."  
"Hmmm?"  
"She was it. The reason. The reason we fight, the reason I fight."  
"But what?"

"There's no but. I know why she left. And I don't blame her. If I had any other choice, I wouldn't have taken this job either."  
"But why did you?"  
"So she could live. So we could go on, fighting the good fight."  
"But the path, Angel. You just got your path back." Wesley said as the doors opened and he noticed Fred picking up the rest of the weapons that Angel had thrown across the room two days ago. He had trashed everything in the office out of anger and loneliness. "Uh, Fred, can you..."  
"No, it's alright. Maybe it's better if all of you hear this." Angel said as Spike and Gunn dropped the last box by the others. They all gathered near, like grandkids listening to a grandfather's story on Christmas Day. "She was there from the beginning; with me and Doyle." He paused and sat on the floor where the rest of them were sitting as well. "She was the one to open my eyes to life. You all know that the love of my life was Buffy, but it all changed. Seasons change, the song changes. The note went higher and lower and all over the place. She patched me up and offered me advice when I didn't need it or want it for that matter." He took the knife on the floor before him and looked it over. "This knife is the one she used to take a bullet out of me one time." He smirked as he remembered the moments he was most grateful for. "Buffy taught me how to love, there's no mistake about that, but Cordelia, sweet Cordelia...she taught me how to live in a world where love reigns and evil begs to reason. She is the reason I'm still standing here today. Guys, if you just look at yourselves, you can name the reason in your life, can't you?" He asked. "Spike, that would be Buffy for you, right?" Spike nodded towards the vampire, looking around the trashed office. "Gunn, Fred, right? Or was it Anne? Or your sister?"  
"It's Anne. She's the reason that I got my life on track again."  
"Wesley, that'd be Fred for you, right?"  
"Right." He confirmed as she looked up at him, with a bit of surprise in her eyes.  
"There's always a reason, and nine times out of ten, it's a girl, or in your case, Fred, a guy." Angel said as they sat there in the circle thinking of their own reasons.  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT**  
  
Cordelia moved the chair slightly to the left and looked up at her new living room. It wasn't what she wanted it to be, but it was there and done as far as she was concerned.  
"There, that should be it." She wiped her forehead of the sweat that was beading through her pores. "Thanks Leo."  
"No problem. That's what I'm here for."  
"Sure. No wonder the Elders referred me to you."  
"Which reminds me, how did you get in contact with the Elders?" He asked, taking a load off as he sat down on the couch.  
"Water?"  
"Please." He responded while she went to the kitchen to get them both some water. She came back, handed him a glass of water and sat beside him.  
"Well, I kind of used to be a higher being."  
"Higher being, really?  
"Yea. With all the powers and everything."  
"So, you're not one anymore?"  
"Nope. I'm just a liaison."  
"For what?"  
"Not sure yet. But I'll tell ya once I figure that out." Cordelia raised her glass and took a sip of the glittering water in her glass. Leo drank some of his water and heard the frantic call of Piper's surround him. He looked up and rolled his eyes. Cordelia took the glass from his hands and said, "Go ahead. She needs you. I'll call if I see anything, you know, suspicious."  
"Okay, thanks." Leo got up from the couch.  
"One more thing, Leo. Give that baby a kiss for me."  
"Which one?"  
"Both of them."  
"Will do." Leo orbed back over to the manor as Cordelia rested on the couch. Too bad Dennis wasn't occupying this apartment to keep her company. She closed her eyes and tried to get some rest. She could see him there, basking in the sunlight of the nacro-tempered windows of Wolfram & Hart. Standing there probably thinking of what to do next in his life without her. Heck, he had Spike now with the visions. His path lied with him now. There was no reason for her to be with him, even though there was that little thing of being the love of her life. She opened her eyes again to see the night sky had descended upon the city. It was nice being here, she thought to herself, but she missed LA. She missed Angel.  
  
**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
WOLFRAM & HART, ATTORNEYS AT LAW**  
  
Wesley pounded on the door of Angel's office for the thousandth time. He had locked himself in two hours ago with a load of explosives and too many weapons to name.  
"Angel! You're going to have to come out of there sometime." Wesley yelled, eyeing the fire department to go ahead and break down the door. With the thrust of ten firemen and a round log, the doors came apart revealing Angel in his almost comatose state, ready to ignite the dynamite. "Angel!" Fred yelled as she rushed past the firemen and to his side. Checking him over, he brushed her away and moved outside the office, with his arms crossed and in full brood mode. Fred looked at Wesley, knowing the only thing to do was to call Cordelia.  
"Get her on the phone."  
"Okay." Fred leaned up to give Wesley a kiss and went over to Harmony's desk and picked up the phone.  
"Hey, that's my...oh, Miss Burkle. Sorry." Harmony looked up from over her desk and apologized.  
"Harmony, isn't there anything else you should be doing besides painting your fingernails?" Fred asked as she punched in the numbers to Cordelia's new place of business. Harmony looked around her desk, looking for something to tell her. Glancing back up at the scientist, she simply replied, "No."

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
THE CHASE AGENCY HEADQUARTERS**  
  
"Wow, girl, this is something." Phoebe exclaimed looking over the new offices of the Chase Agency and admiring the impeccable taste that Cordelia seemed to possess.  
"Well, it's an office and that's all I care about." She looked around and sat down behind her new desk when the phone rang. Phoebe walked up clapping her hands up and down.  
"Oooh, your first official business call. Can I? Can I?"  
"Knock yourself out."  
Phoebe picked up the phone answering, "The Chase Agency, San Francisco Division. We go out fighting demons every night, how can I help you?" Cordelia smacked her on the elbow for saying the last part. That wasn't what her agency was based on. Not this time around. She was going after simple cases this time and if by chance, a demon-y case entered the equation, then so be it. Phoebe cupped the end of the phone and started to talk about the girl who was on the other line. "It's a guy named Fred, who sounds a lot like a girl and she says it's something about a guy named..."  
"Angel?" Cordelia looked up in worry. Phoebe nodded and Cordelia grabbed the phone out of her hand. "Fred? What's wrong?" She answered, frantic and worried about Angel, but hoping that he was alright. He had to be alright. He just had to. "Slow down, Fred." She listened carefully. "He did what?" She asked, watching Phoebe widen her eyes with suspense and waiting for a good story. "Okay, okay, just start from the beginning."  
"Okay, well it all started when you left, Cordelia. He's been going nuts and I'm talking serious nutso. Like that time you told me about that alternate universe where you were a famous actress and Angel was crazy. It's getting all too real." Fred said over the phone.  
"You mean he has the visions now?"  
"No, Spike still has them. Well, at least I think he does. He hasn't had one yet. But we need you Cordelia. He needs you." Fred pleaded.  
"Fred, I can't." She said softly  
"Why not?!?" Fred shouted  
"Because, I'm needed here, Fred. And I can't just take off every time you guys call. I'm not going to be his lifetime girlfriend or his Martha Stewart or his Florence Nightingale." Cordelia paused and looked over at Phoebe. "Okay, we need to just stop listening to country music." Phoebe nodded her head and wanted her to continue the conversation with the Fred girl.  
"You're not just that, Cordelia. You're..." She started to say and then heard a crash in the background. "Cordelia, I have to go, but please come. He really needs you." The other end of the phone clicked and Cordelia laid hers down on the cradle as well.  
"So? Are you going?"  
"No."  
"Why not?"  
"Because if he needs me as much as I know he does, then he'll follow me. I am not the one following this time. I'm the leader."  
  
**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
WESLEY'S APARTMENT**  
  
Wesley and Gunn laid Angel down in his bed and retreated to the living room where Spike, Fred, and Lorne stood waiting. Looking at each other, they all knew it was only going to get worse. Without Cordelia here with him and them, it was only going to get worse.  
"So what now?" Fred asked.  
"We wait." Lorne said.  
"For what?"  
"For a sign."  
"We don't wait for a sign Lorne. We've already gotten many." Wesley said, putting what they already knew out in the open. "He needs to be with her."  
"We know, Wesley, we know." Gunn said, flying his arms up and down and sitting on the couch. Putting his hands up to his forehead he dangled his noggin in worry and confusion. "If she won't come, then..."  
"Then we send him."  
"He's hardly capable of anything! How are we supposed to get him on a plane to her if we can't even shake him out of the mental state that he's in?" Spike asked, sitting in the chair across from Gunn and pulling out a cigarette. Wesley pulled the cigarette from his mouth.  
"I don't know." Wesley said, lighting the cigarette up himself and inhaling a bit of it. They all sat there in worry and wondered what they were actually going to do.  
  
It was 3 a.m. in the morning when Paige and Phoebe orbed into the apartment.  
"Is this it?" Paige asked, looking around at the people sleeping on the couches and chairs. "Wow, they must really be out of it." She commented, hearing the racket of snoring from most of them. "Phoebe?"  
"In here." Phoebe waved her hand for Paige to come by her side. "This is him. Angel."  
"Wow, she sure knows how to pick them." Paige paused and looked at the angelic face of the creature. "Tell me again, what are we doing?"  
"That would be a good question." Wesley startled them from behind, pointing a gun at the chest of Phoebe.  
"Oh, hi. I'm Phoebe and this is Paige."  
"That's nice." He cocked the gun and was ready to shot. "Why are you here and what do you want with Angel?"  
"We know Cordelia." Paige said in their defense before the pistol was shot off, alerting everyone in the building to their presence. He looked at her and lowered the gun. "And, uh, Phoebe, wanna take the rest of this?"  
"Sure." She smiled towards the young looking Englishman. "You see, we know about Cordelia and Angel's situation. Well, at least Paige and I do. Piper is still coming around to the idea."  
"Phoebe, Paige, and Piper? The Charmed Ones?"  
"Yeah, how did you know?"  
"You're famous. But go on, about their situations?"  
"Yeah, we hear that Angel is miserable?"  
"I wouldn't say that exactly, I would say more mental."  
"Wesley? Who are you talking to?" Winifred Burkle emerged behind him, her arms tugging at his stomach and looking towards his face.  
"Honey, meet Phoebe and Paige Halliwell."  
"Oh, the Charmed Ones. Nice to meet you."  
"Okay, does the whole City of Angels know of us?" Paige exclaimed.  
"Sssh!" Phoebe put a finger to her lips and said to her. "Cordelia is miserable too."  
"But she just said today that..." Fred started to speak.  
"Yeah, I know, I was there. You're the girl that has a guy's name, right? Fred?"  
"Actually it's Winifred, but Fred is better than Winnie."  
"I here ya there. Anyhow, Cordelia's miserable. She hides herself behind the stacks of paperwork and cases that she has. She's hiding from the truth."  
"What truth is that?"  
"That she's in love. She just," Phoebe paused thinking of her own past experiences with Cole and Jason, "...she just doesn't want to get involved with him only to end up hurt and in pain."  
Wesley looked over at his beloved and looked back asking, "So what do we do?"


	2. Two

**_PART TWO_**  
**  
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA**  
  
Piper and Leo along with Wyatt and baby Chris walked on into Cordelia's apartment the next morning. Leo skipped around the apartment looking for Cordelia and any sign of Phoebe or Paige. Cordelia came out of the kitchen and saw them, bringing with her a bright smile.  
"Hey guys. What's up?" She came to Piper and helped her with Wyatt and baby Chris.  
"Well, we were sort of wondering if you have seen Phoebe and Paige?" Piper asked, handing over Wyatt to his new aunt Cordelia. Cordelia cuddled with Wyatt and sat down on the couch.  
"No, I haven't. They are missing?" She asked, looking up at Leo who was trying to sense where on Earth they were.   
"Yeah, they were at the manor last night but when Wyatt woke up I went to check on them as well. Don't ask, it's a Halliwell thing. But they weren't at the manor."  
"I haven't seen them."  
"Oh, that's alright, they'll show up sometime or another."  
"And you're not worried?" Cordelia asked, playing with Wyatt on the couch.  
"Not really." Piper answered.  
"Knowing Phoebe and Paige, they're probably off at some..."  
"Leo!" Cordelia and Piper said, ending his thought.  
  
**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
ANGEL'S PENTHOUSE**  
  
Phoebe packed up the rest of Angels' belongings and set the suitcase by the door with the other three. Wesley packed up a few keepsakes while Gunn and Spike were in the bathroom packing up his toiletries. Fred came over to help Paige, who was using her powers to sort through the necessary items.  
"Is that it?" She asked Fred.  
"I think so. But I'm not sure." She paused looking over at the nice straightened penthouse and at the rest of the gang who was gathering Angel's things. "Are you sure we're doing the right thing?"  
"We have to be right." Spike said, coming out of the bathroom with a box of things that Angel was to take. "Doesn't Cordelia have all this stuff at her place?"  
"She has tons of things. But we're not putting him up with Cordelia. Not just yet anyway." Phoebe said, taking the box and tossing it in an extra bag.  
"Where are you taking him?"  
"To the safest place we know of. The manor." Paige said, finishing cleaning up the rest of the penthouse.  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
THE HALLIWELL MANOR**  
  
Paige and Phoebe orbed back with the last suitcase before Leo and Paige went back to LA to get the person that the things belonged to.  
"This sure is a lot of stuff. Where are we gonna put him again?" Piper asked, picking up one of the suitcases ready for orders from Phoebe.  
"In the basement, Piper."  
"How are we supposed to keep this from Cordelia?"  
"Easy. We don't tell her."  
"Oh, now that's not going to work. Have you met us, Phoebe? We can't keep secrets."  
"Yes we can."  
"How?"  
"A little thing called the Book of Shadows."  
"Magic? Phoebe, we can't use magic." Piper whined, checking on the boys before they went downstairs to set up for their new guest. "Isn't that personal gain?"  
"No, it's not. I mean it's not for our personal gain. It's for Cordelia."  
"But it's still personal gain, Phoebe." Piper argued as she opened the door to the basement. They saw Paige and Leo orb into the basement with the vampire with a soul. "Good, you're back. Paige, maybe you can run this by me again. How are we supposed to keep this from Cordelia?"  
"Magic." Paige simply answered, putting the almost comatose Angel down on the cot they had already made.  
"Leo?" Piper whined, hoping he would take her side.  
"What? I'm not getting involved in this. Cordelia is my friend too, but I am not getting in this." Leo said, helping his wife with the suitcase in her hands.  
"Hey, now that's not fair." Piper put up her hands, and felt the need to freeze him.  
"Don't you dare freeze me."  
"Why not? You deserve it."  
"Excuse me?" Leo came up to her and lowered his lips to hers.  
"Okay, you two. None of that. We all know what happens when you do that."  
"What?" Leo asked, acting oblivious.  
"There's two products right upstairs if you want an example. We need to get this one out of this state and into reality again." Phoebe pointed to the stairs and turned around and kneeled down and looked at the vampire's angelic face. "Angelic, indeed."

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
THE CHASE AGENCY, SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION  
TWO DAYS LATER**  
  
Cordelia sat at her desk, filling out the rest of the building code papers that Morris had brought over for her. She had most of it filled out when the phone rang next to her. She jumped out of the chair, startled by the sudden noise in the quiet office.  
"The Chase Agency, this is Cordelia Chase, how can I help you?" She answered promptly, like she was used to it. Truth was she had slipped many times answering with Angel Investigations.  
"Cordelia? It's Spike. How are you?"  
"Hey Spike. I'm good, how are you?"  
"Not well, pet. You never told me how painful these visions actually are."  
"Yes I did. Did you take the pain killers?"  
"Yea."  
"And the flask?"  
"Done did."  
"So what's the problem, just take more pain killers if it still hurts and go and tell Angel."  
"Well, I would, but this vision isn't for him. It's for you."  
"What?"  
"I had a vision of you, getting attacked."  
"Me?"  
"Yes, you." Spike paused, rolling his eyes on the other line. "Look, you haven't much time. It's happening tonight."  
"Okay, give me the details and I'll get on it."  
"Well, it's not a demon Cordelia. Well, at least he doesn't look like one. It's a cop, I think his name was Harvick. He's coming after you and a girl with brown hair."  
"Where at?"  
"In front of a pink house. Not really sure where at."  
"Thanks Spike."  
"No problem, pet. How you doing?"  
"As best as can be expected. How are you?"  
"Now, both of us know that's not what you really want to ask."  
"How is he?" Cordelia put down the pen and gave in to her constant worries.  
"He's doing better. Still missing you, but that's to be expected. We all miss you."  
"But he's still alive right? Or should I say undead?"  
"Yeah, he's still on this Earth." Spike could hear the worry in her voice and her emotions on the verge of exploding. "It's going to okay, Cordelia. Trust me."  
"I do Spike. I do trust you, I just don't trust myself." Cordelia's tears started to roll again. She had cried half of the Colorado River in the past few weeks and it wasn't getting any easier. She took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. "Look, Spike..."  
"I know, you have to go. Just don't be a stranger to call, ya hear?"  
"Okay, I won't. Thanks for calling." She hung up the phone and started to finish up the forms again. She had to get them in by the end of the day, unless the building would be condemned and most likely torn down.  
  
The afternoon had passed by quickly with Morris coming by to pick up the forms and check up on her. She hadn't gotten used to that yet, but she knew she would. He was a sweet man with issues with the Charmed Ones. Her door bell chimed and she looked up to see someone that she wasn't expecting to see: angel.  
"Angel?"  
"Hi Cordelia."  
"Hi." She got up from behind her desk and came up to him. "What are you doing here?" She stuttered out.  
"I just wanted to see you." Angel said, giving her a half smile. Without so much as a word, she leaped into his arms. He tugged her closer, probably suffocating the girl, he let go just a bit so he could see her beautiful face. "I guess I'm not the only one who's been lonely."  
"Yeah, I guess so." She smiled up and looked into his eyes. "So, what brings you here again?" She asked. Angel maintained his cool, remembering what the sisters had said to say to her.  
"Well, I had vacation coming up?"  
"Nice try." She walked back to her desk and offered him a seat, which he took.  
"Well, Spike had a vision that you were going to be in trouble. I came to help you."  
She got defense then, folding her arms across her chest and then came the tantrum. "Well, that's great Angel, but I don't need your help. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." She paused and got more defensive. "If that's the only reason you came here, then you can turn right back around and return to LA and your precious Wolfram & Hart."  
"Cordelia..."  
"No, Angel. Don't start. Look, if you want to stay then stay, but I have work to do."  
"I didn't come here just to help you, Cordelia. I came here to tell you that I..." He paused knowing that his course of action wasn't the plan. "I'm just here because I am. I just need to be with you right now. Is that too much to ask?"  
"I don't know." Cordelia said, getting back behind her desk and going through the rest of Morris' paperwork that he had for her.  
"So, is this all we're going to do? Sit here and fill out paperwork?"  
"Well, I could suggest that we go out but there's this little thing called the sun and my former boss and friend here might just burst into flames on our way to the zoo." She said sarcastically, not realizing that the sun was setting. Then Leo orbed into the office. Angel checked his watch. Right on time. Leo looked towards him and back to Cordelia.  
"Hey." She said looking up at him and smiling.  
"Hi. Who's the guy?"  
"Oh, nobody. What do ya need?"  
"Hey!" Angel argued. Leo looked back to Cordelia and propped his arms up on her desk.  
"We kind of need you over at the manor."  
"Why?"  
"Demon. Attacking about any minute now."  
"I thought I wasn't doing demons anymore. You talk to the Elders?" She asked.  
"The Elders?" Angel tried to get into the conversation but Cordelia ignored him and Leo eyed him to go along with the plan.  
"Yeah, they said that you are the woman for the job."  
"Did they discuss any form of payment this time?"  
"Cordelia, you know the Elders don't have any money. Plus, this is for the greater good."  
"Yeah, the greater good." Angel said, joining Leo by his side. Leo looked at the vampire, hoping that he would stay on track.  
"Maybe your friend here could help us." Leo suggested.  
"Him? No, he can't." Cordelia got up out of her chair and subjected.  
"Hey, I can help. Remember, I'm a..."  
"Yea, yea, yea. We get it. What kind of demon Leo?"  
"Why don't we just go and they can show you?" Leo said, grabbing a hold of each of their hands and transporting them all back to the manor.

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
THE HALLIWELL MANOR**  
  
Piper lifted her ands up and blew up the demon. Body parts went everywhere and found their way back together again.  
"What is with this demon? Doesn't it just stay dead?" Piper frantically said. Paige was behind the stand, skimming through the Book of Shadows. Phoebe was still in the air levitating above while the demon tried to grab at her. One swift kick later, he was on the ground, smirking because the Charmed Ones had not defeated him yet. Leo, Cordelia and Angel orbed in by the door and caught the action show.  
"Phoebe!" Cordelia yelled when she saw the demon going after her.  
"The sword, Cordelia, the sword." Paige said, waving her hand and placing the sword in her hands. She swung the sword into the demon's side, blowing it up with a swift jerk. The parts again reassembled and Cordelia's eyes became wider.  
"Is that supposed to happen?" She turned back to Leo, who was helping Piper get up off the floor from the last blow.  
"Yeah, it's been doing that all evening. Paige, find anything yet?" Piper yelled towards her sister. Paige looked up from the book with a weird expression. "I take that as a no."  
The demon went after Cordelia this time, taking the sword from her hands and throwing it across the attic floor. Cordelia hopped back, running into an old dresser in the corner.  
"Here! I got it." Paige yelled to her sisters as they gathered around the book to read off the spell.  
"Cordelia!" Angel yelled, going to keep her safe. The demon turned around then, his hands turning into claws and slicing into Angel. The sisters read off the spell in the distance and the demon ignited into a fire, bursting into nothing. Angel fell to the ground, wounded from the demons' deadly laceration.  
"Angel!" Cordelia yelped, kneeling down to where his body laid. Brushing her hand across his forehead, Leo came to his assistance and to hers. Waving his hand over Angel's abdomen, he healed the lesion flawlessly. Doing the same to Cordelia, her cuts on her forehead disappeared. "Angel?"  
"Cordelia." He gulped, taking a moment to look at her unspeakable beauty hovering over him. "Hi."  
"Hi. Are you okay?"  
"I'll live."  
"That you will." Cordelia smiled down at him before looking up at the sisters, silently thanking them for the rescue.  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT**  
  
Cordelia and Angel were orbed back to her office by Paige and then left for her apartment. She entered while he stood outside, waiting for the right words to come out of her mouth. She turned back around after setting her stuff on the back of the chair.  
"Oh yea, Angel please come in." She leaned back against the chair. "I almost forgot about that part." She smirked just a bit and went on to the kitchen. "You thirsty?"  
"Got any blood?"  
"I don't really have a need for it, Angel." She said sarcastically as he followed her into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and it revealed an array of drinks. "How about a Fruitopia®?"  
"What's that?"  
"It's just a different kind of drink. Try one." She said, grabbing two glasses out of the fridge and handing him one of them. Opening up one of them for her, she took a swig thankful that she could just rest for a while.  
"What kind is this?" Angel asked, looking at the bottle before he cracked it open and tried it. She twisted the bottle around, looking at the label.  
"Strawberry Passion."  
"What kind did you get?"  
"Peach Out." She answered, putting her feet up on a spare chair, while he tried his Strawberry Passion Fruitopia®.  
"Not bad." He said, taking a drink of the beverage. They both sat in silence for a while, not knowing what else to say to each other until Angel broke the silence. "So, where do we go from here?"  
"Good question. I don't know."  
"Me either."  
"Look, Cordelia, all I wanted to do was see you. That's all I really needed."  
"Great, so you can go back to LA tomorrow then." She said with a half hearted smile and got up to go into her bedroom. He didn't wait. Leaving his drink on the table, he followed her into the room.  
"I'm not leaving."  
"Why not? No one wants you here, including me." She said, searching in her dresser drawers for her pajamas.  
"I hardly think that's true."  
"Oh, but it is, Angel." She took some pajama pants and a tank top and fled to the bathroom attached. "I hate to be the one to tell you this Angel, but my life is great now. I have my own agency that's doing pretty well by the way, some good friends that trust me to not reveal their secret and..." She stopped, thinking of something else to say.  
"We both know that that's not true, Cordelia." Angel said, leaning against the bathroom door. The door flew open with Cordelia in her pajamas and her hair up in a messy ponytail.  
"Angel, I'm not dealing with this right now. Where are you staying?"  
"Um,..." Angel stammered, not knowing what to say about that.  
"Here," She turned around and handed him some sheets, a blanket, and a pillow, "you can sleep on the couch." She pushed him out of her room and shut the door. Leaning against the door, she slid down to the floor and covered her face, knowing that the tears would come. And come they did. Why was he here? And why now? Paige orbed in the room then, knowing that she was hurting. Crouching down beside her, she put her arms around Cordelia and let her cry. It was the best thing that she knew how to do, at least right now it was.


	3. Three

**_PART THREE_**  
  
**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
CHARLES GUNN'S OFFICE**  
  
Charles Gunn sat there in his office, marking and reading over the legal documents that were in Angel's office. Rubbing his head, he relieved the pound of pressure throbbing in the back by stroking the base of his neck. This was getting to be too much. The legal proceedings, the board meetings day in and day out, just too much. He opened his eyes back up and was greeted by a beautiful face: Paige Halliwell.  
"Hey, how did you get in?"  
"Well, I kind of do have a power called orbing."  
"Oh yeah." He smirked, remembering that part about her. "So what brings you here to the lovely city of Los Angeles? More specifically, why Wolfram & Hart?"  
"I needed to talk to you."  
"What about?" Gunn leaned back in his chair as Paige took one of the ones in front of the desk.  
"Cordelia." Paige paused and started again, knowing that Wesley probably knew her better, but she felt more comfortable talking to Gunn.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Everything." She panicked. "Angel and her have made contact. But as to be expected, she's still hurting. Last night, her and Angel had a fight. I mean big, big, big fight. I mean crying, lashing out fight."  
"Paige, you wanna give me the details?"  
"Okay, I'll try. I mean, the most I can decipher from her tear drenched words were, Fruitopia® and pajamas. I think that when they got home after the attack they..."  
"Attack?!?"  
"Yeah, Cordelia and Angel helped us vanquish a demon. Anyhow, they went back to her apartment and I guessed tried to talk. All in all, she ended up behind her door, crying in a huddled position while Angel was standing on the opposite side, holding sheets and a pillow."  
"She kicked him out?"  
"Not technically, but yeah. What can we do? I'm tired of waiting for them to come to their senses."  
"Me too. But we need to let them work this out for themselves."  
"How long is that going to take?" Paige got up out of the chair and started to pace, worried about her new friend. Gunn got up from behind his desk and went to her.  
"Look, all we can do it wait."  
"Wait for what? For them to get more stubborn so they end up hating each other?" Paige flew her arms up in the air. Gunn took a hold of her shoulders and straightened her frame out.  
"We have to let them figure it out for themselves, Paige. That's the only thing we can do." He tugged her closer and pulled her into his embrace. "Just be patient."  
"I'm trying." She said, muffled into his chest. Looking up at him, he brushed her now brunette hair from her face and revealed the tears that he suspected she was hiding.  
"It will be okay. Trust me. I've known Angel and Cordy for a while now and they're both smart enough to come to their senses." He told her letting her go from his arms. "Of course, last time they admitted to something it took them a whole year." He thought aloud, leaning back onto the edge of his desk.  
"A year?" Paige asked, shaking her head.  
"Mr. Gunn?" Harmony intervened with the conference call.  
"Yeah, Harmony?"  
"We have a situation in the lobby. Your assistance is needed."  
"You coming?" He turned to Paige as he walked towards the door. She followed him knowing that she could probably help somehow. Walking down the hallway and looking over the banister she saw what the commotion was. The Krevlork Demon Clan was causing some ruckus with the peaceful and negotiating Yumba tribe. Gunn's eyes opened wide as he hopped over the banister and Paige orbed down instantly. The Krevlork Demon clan was no stranger to the Halliwell Manor or the Charmed Ones. Their kind had attacked on numerous occasions and had a bounty on Wyatt's head. Looking around for something sharp and pointy, Paige didn't realize that the clan was here for legal proceedings.  
"Ah, sword." Paige yelled, telekinetically moving the sword in a young man's hands and into a Krevlork Demon's side, sending the creature down to the ground, agonizing over the pain. That should have vanquished him.  
"Paige!" Gunn yelled at her, crouching down beside the demon's side and trying to console it. She ran up next to him, confused why he was trying to help the demon. "Why did you do that?"  
"Why isn't he vanquished? Let me see why I did that..." Paige said, continuing, "because he's a Krevlork demon and he's evil. Plus, having a bounty on my nephew's head is pretty serious too. Not to mention a whole other long list of reasons. Would you like me to read them off?" She pointed out.  
"He's only here for the contract?" Gunn said while Harmony and another assistant attended to the creature. "Wolfram & Hart is a different kind of law firm, Paige. We deal with all sorts of stuff and demons are one of them. This particular clan is here for a contract hearing." He explained to her after seeing her confused face.  
"Oh. Sorry?" Paige added in her own little cute way by wrinkling her nose and smiling up at him. "But that still doesn't explain why that sword didn't vanquish him."  
"Magic, Paige. It's magic."  
"A Charmed One? How dare you have A Charmed One in our presence!" The head of the Krevlork Clan said, outraged.  
"Look, gentlemen, she's not going to harm any of you. She's just here to discuss a family matter. Harmony will escort you into the conference room and Mr. Jameson and your appointed liaison will be right with you." Gunn diverted them as they stared at her.  
"Sorry."  
"No need to be, Paige. But it's best to say that you may want to get out of here." Gunn suggested.  
"That's what I'm thinking. I'll talk to you later." Paige said, orbing back out of the building. Gunn watched as the tiny bubbles disappeared not knowing Lorne & Fred were watching near by. They approached him cautiously, knowing that any sudden movement and he would go bananas. Fred twirled around him, smiling as if she knew something.  
Gunn finally reverted his attention to her and asked, "Something you want Fred?"  
"Nope."  
"Then what are you doing?"  
"Looking at your aura." She giggled like she was in high school again with some big secret that was to be kept a secret.  
"Wha?"  
"She's right, Gunn. Your aura is screaming at me right now." Lorne said, grabbing Fred's hand.  
"And what does it say?" Gunn asked, not really wanting to know. He watched Fred and Lorne stroll away. Fred looked back still acting jittery like a school girl and said, "You've got a crush."

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT**  
  
Cordelia got up early and when to the butcher's market across the street. She knew that Angel would be staying for a while. She knew he was that stubborn enough to do just that, and drive her crazy. The blood was heating up in the microwave when Angel finally awoke from the night before. Strolling into the kitchen in nothing but his black pants, he startled Cordelia. The microwave beeped to let her know that his morning cup of O-pos was ready.  
"Cinnamon?"  
"How about sugar?"  
"In your blood?" She turned back around from the counter and looked at him sitting at the tiny bistro table.  
"I meant from you." He smirked. She smirked back and sprinkled some cinnamon in the cup, mixing it up with the thick blood. Setting it on the table, she knelt down and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "Thank you."  
"No problem." Cordelia sat across from him and pulled her hair back and took a drink of her black coffee. "So I guess we need to talk."  
"Yea." Angel took a deep breath and looked up at her. "We do. But let me start off by apologizing for last night."  
"Can I hear that again? Are you saying you're sorry?" Cordelia's face brightened up then, a smile emerging from her mouth. Angel peered his eyes down and she knew it was true. "Can you sign a paper saying that you said you're sorry?"  
"Oh, come on. It's not that big of a shock is it?"  
"Yes." Cordelia laughed and her smile got bigger, which Angel liked.  
"So, what now?"  
"Now, we go to work. We can discuss this later at dinner."  
**  
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
THE CHASE AGENCY**  
  
"Okay, Mrs. Allen. There ya go, you're all set." Cordelia handed the client her receipt and smiled towards the elderly lady.  
"No, thank you Miss Chase. You have been a guardian angel." She lady said, turning back to leave the building. Angel came in the office then hoping to continue their conversation from this morning.  
"Can we talk?" He asked.  
"What about?"  
"Cordelia!" Morris barged in breaking up the almost conversation.  
"Morris? What is it?"  
"We have a situation."  
"And that would be..."  
"It's Harvick, the new cop. He's being held in a bank downtown." Morris confessed in need of her help.  
"Why do you need me?"  
"Because you're the only one he listens to."  
"But I thought you said he was being held?"  
"He is, but the...will you just come?"  
"I guess so." Cordelia grabbed her jacket and started to follow Morris when she remembered Angel. "Uh, are going to be alright?"  
"I'll manage. Just go and help that guy." He said, catching her on the arm before she turned again. Pulling her into his frame, he brushed his lips against hers and let her go again. She stared back at him, wondering just what the kiss meant. "Be careful." He told her as she went out the door.  
  
Twenty minutes had passed by when Leo, Piper, and Phoebe orbed into the office.  
"So? Did you talk to her yet?" Phoebe asked, not waiting a minute to let the dizziness wear off.  
"No, she's keeps avoiding me." Angel said, sitting down in Cordelia's chair behind her desk.  
"Where is she?" Piper asked looking around the bare office.  
"Went with a cop to bail another cop out of something."  
"Morris?"  
"Yeah, that was his name."  
"What did he want exactly?" Leo asked, concerned of what Morris wanted.  
"Something about another cop being held or something. Are you guys going to help me with Cordelia or not?"  
"We will. What was the cop's name?" Leo persisted.  
"I don't know, why is that important?"  
"Because your friend Spike called Cordelia with a vision he had of her. Didn't he tell you?"  
"Yeah, but he said it had already happened."  
"It hasn't. Where were they going?"  
"Some bank downtown."  
"Alright, let's go."  
"Um, guys?" Angel said, alerting them to the sun outside and the vampire within.  
"Oh." Leo said stumped.  
"Can't we just orb to the sewer system or something?" Piper asked, searching for a way to get Angel there to save her.

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
GOLDEN GATE BANK & TRUST**  
  
Morris pulled the megaphone up to his mouth and started to speak. "We have the girl. Let the hostages go."  
Two shots ranged from inside the bank, alerting the police to the new situation inside the bank. Cordelia stood up behind the police barricade and started to walk towards the entrance. Morris pulled her am back and twirled her around.  
"You are not pulling a Prue, Cordelia."  
"Watch me." She tugged her arm out of his grip and continued her conquest into the bank where the hold up was.  
"Hold your fire!" Morris yelled across the crowd and held up his badge. Cordelia walked across the street and into the bank, not expecting what she saw. Two guys, both in uniforms and one man, with his arms folded across his chest and a smirk on his face.  
"Let me guess, this really isn't a heist is it?"  
"A smart one. We like that."  
"Who's we? And what the hell are you trying to pull off here?" Cordelia asked, looking around the vacant bank for anything to tip her off.  
"We are the Order."  
"The Order? Sure. Has someone been overindulging in the tequila?"  
"We are the Order of Gron. We seek to destroy the Charmed Ones and you are a Charmed One."  
"Ha!" Cordelia laughed at them. They really thought this plan would work? "I'm not a Charmed One and if I was do you actually think that I'd be this stupid to fall for this?"  
"Well, yeah." The second man said, with his California Surfer accent.  
"Wrong." Cordelia said as she walked forward with force, grabbing a hold of the gun and taking it out of the man's hands. Leo, Piper, and Phoebe orbed in then and Piper raised her hands to freeze the culprits. She shook Cordelia out of her freeze mode while Angel popped out of the back. Running to get her like a running back going to catch the football, she fell to the ground, surrounded by his being.  
"Are you okay?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine." She said waiting for him to get up but he didn't. "Can you get up off of me now?"  
"Oh, sorry." Angel got up off the ground and reached for her, making sure she was okay.  
"Angel, I'm fine. What are you guys doing here?"  
"This was Spike's vision right?" Phoebe asked.  
"How did?"  
"Never mind that. Let's just vanquish him." Phoebe added avoiding Cordelia's question.  
"You can't Phoebe. He's human." Cordelia explained. "Would you guys just get out of here? I can handle it."  
"Are you sure?" Leo asked, hoping she knew what she was doing.  
"I'm sure." She replied as Leo, Piper and Phoebe orbed back out of the building. Angel stayed behind, waiting for a cue from Cordelia. "And you're still here because?"  
"Like it or not, I'm here to stay. So, as you are so famous for saying: Deal." Angel got defensive and snapped at her. The men started to move signaling that Piper's freezing mechanism had worn off.  
"Where did he come from?" The first man said, pointing at Angel.  
"Nowhere. Why don't we finish this?"  
"Of course." The man flew high in the air and came at Cordelia, with a vengeance for a kill. Cordelia ran out of the way and maneuvered around the second man. Grabbing his gun and pointing it at his temple, she felt a boost of energy coming on.  
"You want to lose him?" The man in the air looked down at her. Angel then decided to make his move, taking a hold of the flying man's ankle and swinging him around the bank. Letting him go, the man crashed through the glass exposing the sunlight from outside. Angel jumped back and Cordelia came into the picture with the other man and the gun still pointed at his head. Morris came and took the delinquents out of their hands. Cordelia looked over at Angel and gave him a half-hearted smile.  
"That's what the danger was?" Cordelia rolled her eyes and let go of the man, letting him fall to the ground. The uniforms came to cuff him and Angel went after Cordelia. "Will the powers ever get a clue? And this definitely isn't a pink house!"  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
THE HALLIWELL MANOR**  
  
"Hey, where have you guys been?" Paige looked up from Chris' crib to the three humans coming up the stairs. The three looked exhausted and Phoebe's moan was Paige's signal of don't ask. Turning off the light and grabbing the baby monitor, she followed them up the stairs to the attic. Piper and Leo sat down on the old sofa and Phoebe went behind the Book to see about this order that was targeting them.  
"Is anyone gonna give me anything?"  
"Ever hear of The Order of Gron?"  
"No, why?"  
"Because Cordelia was caught in the crossfire with them. They thought she was one of us." Phoebe explained alerting Paige to the situation.  
"And you guys just left me out of this?"  
"You were unreachable, Paige. Plus Cordelia and Angel had it under control." Piper waved her hand about and leaned her head on Leo's shoulders.  
"Where are they now?" Paige asked, placing the baby monitor on the side table and sitting down on the chair close to Phoebe.  
"We hope back at her place doing the dirty." Phoebe said aloud. She looked at her family giving her the looks. "What? It's not like all you weren't thinking it."

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT**  
  
Cordelia held on to the cup of coffee that Angel had made for her. Picking up her legs and sitting down again on the couch, Angel slipped off her shoes and socks staring at her tiny toes. He smirked remembering her inferiority complex with her feet. She always dwelled on the fact that her toes were to tiny and her feet were humongous.  
"What's that about?" She set the mug down on the coffee table.  
"What?"  
"Your smile." She smiled over at him, leaning her head back on the cushion.  
"Oh, nothing."  
"Yea right. Whatever it is, you should do it more often." She closed her eyes and wiggled her toes in front of him, almost begging him to touch the phalanges. His hand wrapped around her sole and started to massage her arch. He looked over at her, her eyes were still closed and she looked to be resting.  
"Cordelia?"  
"Hmmm?"  
"I'm going to talk now." He took a breath of air in, not really needing it and kept massaging her foot. "I don't know what happened between us, but I know that I still care about you. You are going to have to face this...this...ordeal someday. And I'm tried of waiting, I just want..."  
"What do you want Angel?" Cordelia emphasized.  
"You." Angel looked over at her, her hazel eyes glowing with a desire to do something that he couldn't give her. "I know I can't give you all that you want or need but I want you to know that..." Before he could finish what he was saying, she leaned up and pulled him in for a kiss. The kiss was deep and true, something he hadn't experienced in a while. The last good kiss he had was with her. During the time that he had been without her, he had had many flings with Nina the werewolf, but he knew it wouldn't last. He knew in his heart that there was only one. He started to unbutton her top when she stopped him.  
"We can't." She stopped the kiss and looked up at him, looking for air.  
"I know." Angel put his head down and kissed her neck. Slowly moving down to the top of her breasts, he looked up at her and stopped again. "Tired?"  
"Yeah." She said, removing her legs from under him and onto the floor. She got up and started to walk towards her bedroom. Angel got up and started to get the pillow and blanket out from behind the couch when Cordelia appeared in her doorway again. "Coming?"


	4. Four

_PART FOUR_  
  
**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
WOLFRAM & HART, ATTORNEYS AT LAW  
SCIENCE DIVISION - WINIFRED BURKLE'S OFFICE**  
  
Fred rolled around in her chair gathering the specimens for study while Knox and his crew were out in the lab running the tests. Wesley entered her office quietly and came up behind her chair.  
"Having fun?"  
"Of course. But as much fun as last night." She said, rolling around and kissing him passionately. "So what brings you down here to my laboratory?"  
"Just checking up on my sweetheart." He twirled her back around for her to continue work on her specimens. "Any chance you might want to run tests on me in this laboratory?"  
"Wesley." Fred answered with a slight rouge emerging on her fair skin.  
"It was only a suggestion." Wesley said crossing over and his eyes landing on her bookshelves. Fred got up from her chair and came to hug him from behind.  
"Who says I won't?" She joked. "So, have we heard anything apart from Paige being here yesterday?"  
"Paige was here yesterday?" Wesley turned around but didn't let go of her.  
"Yeah, I thought you knew." Fred said, watching Wes shaking his head.  
"That's alright. But, no, we haven't heard anything." Wesley paused. "So, I guess we should just be patient."  
"Yea." Fred pressed her nose to his. "Now, how about those tests?" She giggled.  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT**  
  
It was late morning when Cordelia woke up, feeling all refreshed and alive. She rotated on her bed and looked over to her side, relieved not to find Angel there. But the sheets sure were messed up. Rolling back over, she took an extra pillow and put it under her head, closing her eyes again. She heard the bathroom door open and opened one eye to catch a view. Angel stood there, half naked and towel drying his hair. He looked over at her and smiled, not realizing that she wasn't still sleeping. Sitting down on the bed, he reached to touch her bare back. She moved around, facing him and held the sheets to her body.  
"Morning." He said with a smile.  
"Angel? You're still Angel right?"  
"Yeah."  
"Not Angelus?"  
"No."  
"Then I didn't give you that perfect happiness then?"  
"Cordelia..."  
"What, wasn't I good?"  
"Cordelia, we didn't do anything. You slept under the covers and I slept on top."  
"So, we didn't..."  
"No." He smiled up at her. "But you know if I could, we would." He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, wanting more. She broke the kiss off before it could go any further.  
"Angel, I..." She started looking for something to say. "I need to take a shower."  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Cordelia emerged from her bedroom to find Angel warming up his blood in the microwave and making a pot of coffee for her. Her hair had begun to dry and she walked over to the kitchen and sat down at the table. He handed her a cup of coffee while he waited for his blood to warm.  
"So what do you want to do today?"  
"Well, I have to stop by the office and then it's over to the Manor."  
"What for?"  
"I was volunteered for babysitting duty while the girls and Leo went to a reunion of some kind. You feel up to it?"  
"Babysitting? I think I can handle that."  
Cordelia smiled as he retrieved his mug and shook a few sprinkles of cinnamon into it.

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
THE HALLIWELL MANOR**  
  
Cordelia and Angel showed up right on time with Phoebe bouncing off the walls with Wyatt.  
"I see we're just in time." She said, watching Phoebe levitate and Wyatt mocking her. Piper let them in and invited Angel in as expected.  
"Oh yeah. If Phoebe gets anymore hyper I'm going to freeze her for good."  
"That bad, eh?"  
"You have no idea." Piper said, continuing back to the kitchen where Paige and Leo were. Cordelia and Angel made their way back to the kitchen as well. Paige was dressed from head to toe in jewels and looked ravishing. Leo, in his tux, was just as handsome as the night he married Piper.  
"Wow, don't we look all James Bond-ish. So where are you guys going again?" Cordelia asked as Leo smiled at her for the comment.  
"A party for Phoebe's news column. She's going national."  
"For good this time?"  
"Oh yea. That's why she's so hyper. And we still need her to get dressed!" Piper yelled over the kitchen and into the conservatory where she knew Phoebe could hear her. Piper was dressed in a long red dress, hugging her womanly curves at every angle. They all heard Phoebe run up the stairs to change and Piper started to go towards the conservatory when Angel stopped her.  
"Can I?" He asked, politely.  
"Sure. But be careful, he likes to orb a lot." Piper warned as Angel went towards the conservatory. Cordelia watched as his face lighted up to the sight of a little boy. He had lost that chance to raise his own son, something that none of them had wanted. Of course, her and Angel were the only ones to know about Connor now.  
"So, how's it going with him?" Paige asked, slipping on her heels.  
"Not bad. There are still times I want to smack him for everything and sometimes I just want to kiss him."  
"I'm just glad that you're dealing with this." Leo added, helping his lovely wife clasp her necklace that she was trying to put on herself. "It shows how strong you really are."  
"I wasn't strong last night." Cordelia paused and grabbed a drink from the fridge, sitting back down at the table. "You know we came home to my place and well, you know how I am when I get tired, I plop down on the couch and stay there. Well of course Angel was there this time, massaging my feet and..."  
"Oh no, we all know where that leads you." Paige said, remembering her first fling in San Francisco with Brett Hyberton, one of San Francisco's leading bachelors.  
"Don't start on Brett, Paige. That was over a long time ago. Plus, this is Angel. I can't exactly jump into the sack with him."  
"Why not?" Piper asked, not knowing the full story of Angel's soul.  
"Well, he has a curse. A gypsy curse, which if he experiences perfect happiness he goes all evil and we don't want that. I thought I told you that." Cordelia was saved from talking anymore when Phoebe graced them with her presence. "Wow."  
"Yes, wow."  
"You look amazing Phoebe." Leo commented, looking up at down at her dress. Phoebe twirled around and flashed them a smile. Her elegant a-line royal blue dress looked dazzling on her.  
"You think?"  
"We know. Girl, you look spectacular." Cordelia got up from the table and circled around Phoebe, checking out her dress. "You are going to knock them dead. But oh, not literally."  
"Thanks." She said, checking her image in the mirror by the doorway. Cordelia heard the laughs from the other room. Wyatt was laughing and at Angel no less.  
"I'll be right back. I hope he's not doing his vamp face." She said and walked to the conservatory. Thankfully he wasn't. He was on the floor with Wyatt building a very high block skyscraper. She leaned against the post and watched him play with the little boy. It was sweet really; reminiscent of the days that Angel was deprived of. Paige and Piper walked up behind her, watching Angel play like he was 3 years old as well.  
"He has a knack for that, doesn't he?" Paige asked.  
"Yea, he does. I'll tell you the whole story later. But you all need to get out of here." Cordelia turned around and started to push the sisters out of the house. Piper grabbed her purse and snuck over to the conservatory to give Wyatt a kiss.  
"Okay, Chris is upstairs sleeping, Wyatt's in there. The phone numbers are on the fridge and we'll be home around two."  
"Okay, I got it. Now go have a good time." Cordelia pushed them out and shut the door.  
  
Three hours had passed since the Halliwell's had gone. Angel was on the couch with Wyatt asleep in his arms and Cordelia was in the chair, reading the book that Piper had lent her. She looked up over at him and smiled, seeing how comfortable Wyatt was with the vampire.  
"You look like a dad." She said as he looked up at her.  
"Why thank you, Cordelia. Because only you know that I am."  
"True, but you with Wyatt, it's...it's sweet." She said when the baby monitor sounded off and they could hear baby Chris' sweet cry. She got up and went towards the stairs. Walking up to the baby, she didn't hear Angel follow her with Wyatt on his shoulder. She hovered over Chris' crib and started to make her baby faces.  
"Is this where Wyatt sleeps too?" Angel asked behind her. She turned around and shook her head yes. Angel watched Cordelia pick up the infant, cradling him in her arms.  
"You look like a mom." He said.  
"What?" She asked, rocking the baby back and forth, hoping he would go back to sleep.  
"You look like a mom." She looked up then, wondering what he meant by that comment. "It's not a bad thing. It's good."  
"Oh, well, thanks." She grabbed the pacifier on the side table and inserted it into Chris' mouth, the baby taking the item and sucking on it. She knew he wasn't hungry. She had just fed him his bottle not long ago. She hummed a little tune to put him back to sleep in an instant. Setting him back in his crib, she placed the baby blanket over him and left the room, taking the baby monitor with her.  
  
Two more hours passed when the sisters and Leo came home.  
"So, did you two have fun?" Phoebe asked, wanting to know details.  
"Of course." Cordelia said, putting away the milk and stuffing the leftover pizza into a container for Piper. "He had a great time playing house."  
"House?" Leo raised his eyebrows.  
"Piper will explain it to you later." Cordelia patted him on the back and crossed over to the other side of the island beside Angel. "Wyatt and Chris are sound asleep upstairs."  
"Were they good?"  
"They were angels. I think Wyatt made a new friend." She nudged Angel in the stomach.  
"He's a sweet boy, although he likes to use his shield a lot."  
"Yeah, we've been trying to make him stop that. Still needs some work." Piper said, letting the clasp of her barrette to let her brunette hair scale down her back. "But thanks for doing this."  
"No problem. Any time you need me, I'm here." Cordelia said.  
"You coming tomorrow?"  
"Yea, we'll be there."  
"Where?"  
"P3, my club downtown. We're having another party for Phoebe." Piper said, leaning against Leo. She was exhausted and everyone knew it.  
"We'll be there. We're going to get going now." Cordelia walked towards the foyer and grabbed her purse and jacket. Angel got the door and waited for her while she said goodbye to the sisters. Closing the door behind them, Leo walked back over to the sisters.  
"Curse?"

**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
WOLFRAM & HART, ATTORNEYS AT LAW  
WESLEY WYNDAM-PRYCE'S OFFICE**  
  
It was early morning when Harmony came into Wesley's office. He had stayed there all night again. Wiping his sleepy eyes, he looked up at her and waited for the daily report.  
"Okay, meetings are cleared until noon and at one o'clock you have a meeting with the board of directors."  
"Board of Directors? For what?" Wesley took the files out of Harmony's hands and took a big drink of the coffee she had set on his desk.  
"The whereabouts of Angel, CEO of Wolfram & Hart." She informed.  
"Oh, that." Wesley said, putting the papers down on his desk and running his hands through his bed-head hair. "Thank you Harmony. Could you get the gang in here?"  
"Sure thing, boss." Harmony left his office and over to her desk to page the others. Charles Gunn was the first in his office.  
"What's up, English?" Gunn took a seat in front of Wesley's desk. Fred and Lorne entered the office right when Wesley started to explain.  
"We need to come up with an excuse for Angel."  
"An excuse?"  
"We have a meeting with the Board of Directors to explain our boss' whereabouts." Wesley explained to the gang.  
"What are we supposed to tell them?" Lorne asked, when Spike entered the room.  
"Hey, you got any whiskey?" Spike asked going to Wesley's personal armoire and took out the bottle of whiskey. Opening it up and taking a swig of it, Spike put it back and came over to the desk. "Guess what?"  
"Had another vision?"  
"Oh yeah. Cordelia never said that they would hurt this bad." Spike threw a couple of pain killers down his throat and swallowed. Fred put her hand on his head and rubbed his temple, hoping to relieve his headache.  
"Well, they actually shouldn't. Maybe Fred could help you with that." Lorne said, as Fred looked to Spike and smiled.  
"What did you see Spike?"  
"Big nasty smelly demon over in a housing project later tonight. Gonna cause some major mayhem."  
"Okay, we'll do that tonight, but right now we have to tell something to the Board." Wesley said when the orbs came. The all looked over at the four beings who came on a mission. "Well, hello."  
"Hi. Did you forget to tell us something?" Phoebe came forward with her hands on her hips.  
"About what?" Lorne asked. Paige waved to Gunn and smiled when Phoebe went off.  
"A curse?!? He has a curse?"  
"Phoebe, calm down." Piper said, pulling her sister back from the desk. "Mr. Wyndam-Pryce, we were unaware of this curse that Angel has. Could you please explain?"  
"Well, back in..."  
"Oh no, you are not gonna recite this thing again." Gunn got up from the chair and stopped Wesley. "You see, Angel's got a curse from a gypsy tribe when he killed one of them. So if he experiences perfect happiness in any way, shape, or form, he goes evil. And we don't like evil Angel." Gunn said, walking over and standing by Paige. He looked over at Lorne who was eyeing Fred and ignored them. He did like her and didn't really care about their opinions.  
"So, you're saying if he gets all bony with Cordelia, he'll go evil?" Paige asked, looking up at Gunn.  
"Yeah, and it's not pretty." Fred added.  
"Hey if he went all Angelus on us that would mean that I would be the hero, right? I kind of like that idea." Spike said, smirking at the idea.  
"Spike!"  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CLUB P3**  
  
The music blared in the background and Angel watched as Cordelia, Paige and Phoebe danced their hearts out. She was beautiful; absolutely beautiful. Her smile lighted up the room as the lights ricocheted off of her body, highlighting her brunette hair and her light bronze skin. Piper watched the back of Angel's head as he stared at Cordelia dancing about in the middle of the floor with her sisters. Knowing he was smiling, she smiled herself. Leo came up by the bar and took a seat next to him, raising his eyebrows at Piper.  
"How's it going Angel?" Leo asked, grabbing the beer that Piper handed him.  
"Not bad. Things could be better."  
"How so?"  
"Well, I could be human by now, Cordelia would be by my side, my son would know who I am and I could actually be happy for once in my two century year old life." Angel turned on the stool and set his drink back up on the counter. Leo's face turned blank. "Sorry you asked?"  
"Just a little."  
"Do you love her?" Piper asked.

"Hmmm?"  
"Do you love her? Cordelia...you know that sassy brunette out there on the dance floor with my sisters who likes to speak her mind?"  
"Yes, I do. More than she knows."  
"Well, I hope you know that she still thinks you're waiting on some girl named Betty or Betsy or something like that."  
"Buffy?"  
"Yea, that's it."  
"Why on God's green earth would she think that? I'm not waiting on Buffy. Sure, she was my first love but it was ill-fated from the start." Angel took another drink of his beer and went on to explain his relationship with Buffy to Piper and Leo. "Cordelia is the reason. The whole reason why I'm still standing here. Why I'm still undead."  
"Maybe you should tell her that then." Piper said. "I mean, she loves you. She may not admit it to your face, but she does. She tells us everything."  
"And she does mean everything." Leo said, remembering Cordelia's lecture on getting involved with your boss and his son, which by her account was a total mistake by all means and the time when she was explaining what when on with her during the month after Brett. Something Leo did not want to go through again. Angel laughed at Leo's expression as the girls came back up to the bar. Cordelia jumped onto Angel's back and tugged him close.  
"Having fun?" Piper asked, smiling at Cordelia and her sisters.  
"Oh yeah. You should've seen this guy out there. He was doing these moves that reminded me of Angel." Cordelia said.  
"Hey! I can dance."  
"Hardly." Cordelia said, grabbing his beer and taking a sip of it. The band started to play a slower song and Piper got her chance.  
"Hey, prove her wrong." Piper nodded towards the dance floor and the couples forming. Leo smiled and giggled a bit when his wife looked at him. "You too. Prove me wrong." Piper came out from behind the bar and took her husband out onto the dance floor. Angel took a hold of Cordelia's hand and led her as well. Hugging her close, her head dipped to his shoulder and they danced. Piper looked over at the couple and smiled, seeing them sway back and forth. Leo leaned down and kissed her, diverting her attention to him instead of the budding lovebirds to their right.  
  
Angel looked down at Cordelia's head, leaning on his shoulder and smiled. This was perfect. This was how he imagined it. His perfect life with her in it. She looked up and smiled into his eyes.  
"So, you can dance."  
"I try."  
"Well, it's certainly better than your singing."  
"Do I have to comment on yours?" He joked.  
"Don't you dare! You will find yourself in a dimension that you won't be able to get out of." She threatened, laughing while she did. His face lit up and he took the opportunity to act on his instincts. He leaned down and kissed her. Kissing her had never felt so good or right. It was meant to be. Her. Him. Together.  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT**  
  
Cordelia leaned against her door outside, trying to find her keys through her purse while Angel was kissing her. It was hard, very hard to think of anything else. He leaned on top of her and she dropped her purse to the ground and lifted her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and causing his tongue to go deeper into her throat. His kisses didn't stop there. His mouth traveled down her neck and rested on the top of her breasts. She pushed him back before anything else started in the hallway. Grabbing her purse off the ground she got out her keys and shoved through her apartment. She started to take her jewelry off when Angel got her from behind. Running his hands down her legs and back up all she could feel was a sensation that she didn't want to get rid of. Turning around, she pulled him back in for a kiss. They toppled over each other and were down on the floor in an instant. Her dress came off and went flying into the kitchen. His pants and shirt were flung into the foyer as Angel kept kissing her. His lips moved down her body slowly and the sensation lasted longer with each touch to her body.  
"Angel..." She moaned.  
"Sssh..." He told her not wanting to ruin this for the both of them.


	5. Five

**_PART FIVE_**  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT**  
_THE MORNING AFTER_  
  
Naked on the floor, Cordelia rolled over with the blanket on top of her with a smile on her face. Slowly opening her eyes, she found Angel on the floor next to her, sleeping like a baby. She smiled a little more when she remembered last night. It was almost perfect. _Oh my God, did we? What if...if he's Angelus? What if he's not? If he's not that means I didn't make him happy. Why didn't I make him happy? He made me happy. Why didn't I make him happy? Cordelia sat up and squinted her eyes. Buffy. It's all about Buffy. Why is she the only one who made him happy? WHY?_ Cordelia got up slowly, not wanted to wake Angel from his harmless sleep and went to get dressed. She had a little favor to ask her friends.  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
THE HALLIWELL MANOR**  
  
Piper and Leo were in the kitchen, fixing a big breakfast for their family when Cordelia stormed in. She was obviously not happy anymore.  
"I'm thinking that good morning won't be enough?" Piper said to her.  
"Oh, no. It's a good morning. But for other reasons, I'm not in the mood for a good morning." Cordelia said, taking a seat next to Paige at the table.  
"So, I'm guessing that it didn't happen?"  
"I don't know. I can't even remember. If we did, it wasn't enough to turn him." Cordelia huffed, taking a fork and biting off of Paige's omelet that Piper had made for her.  
"So did you come here to tell us the details?" Piper asked, being sarcastic as she flipped the eggs in the skillet and placed them on an extra plate for Cordelia. Bringing over the plate and a glass of milk, she set them in front of her and urged her to eat.  
"Thanks Piper. And no, I'm not here to give you details. I doubt Leo would want to hear about that anyway."  
"No, I'll get the details from Angel. Or Piper will tell me later tonight. She has a way with that."  
"Hey!" Piper shouted at her husband. Leo came over and gave her a kiss on the cheek and settled around the table to hear Cordelia's reasons for being here so early in the morning.  
"I need to ask you guys a favor."  
"Shoot." Paige folded the paper back up and put Wyatt's fork back down on his high chair after feeding him a bite of her eggs.  
"Well, you all know about the curse that Angel has."  
"Yeah, we found that out a little late."  
"Leo..."  
"What? What are you guys talking about?"  
"Okay, truth. We brought Angel here." Paige turned to her friend and told her.  
"Paige! Phoebe is going to kill you."  
"She can't and she won't. Cordelia needs and deserves the truth. We all saw how miserable you were and we went to Los Angeles to get him."  
"You what?" Cordelia said, getting up from her chair and putting her hand to her forehead. "I can't believe this."  
"Believe it." Phoebe stood in the doorway and watched Cordelia pace in the little space provided. "I'm not sorry Cordelia."  
"Why not?"  
"Because you were miserable and lonely and just a drag to be around." Phoebe moved forward and stopped Cordelia before she wore a hole in the floor. "I'm not sorry because if you have looked in the mirror lately, you can see that you're happy. You're happy that he's here. He's in your life again. And we like the happy Cordelia."  
"That doesn't matter."  
"Yes it does." Piper piped up. "He's the reason why you're still here Cordelia. Didn't you tell us that in order to keep you alive and safe he took a job with Evil Incorporated, the law firm that he wanted to tear apart a few years ago?"  
"Well, yeah, but..."  
"No buts. He loves you. You love him. Love isn't magic Cordelia. When you love a person, you can't stop. You don't want to stop. It's a hope inside of you that you are meant for this person and you can't live without them. It transcends time and place and even dimensions. Love just is. It just is." Piper said to her, making Cordelia take a seat again.  
"Wow. Did you know that you are the most beautiful woman in the world?" Leo commented, looking at his wife with so much love that it made Cordelia cry. He kissed Piper and looked over to Cordelia, who was wiping away her tears.  
"I guess you're right. It just is. But there are some people that even though they know they're meant for each other, there's something holding them apart." Cordelia looked into the half-eaten egg that sat in front of her. "Okay, enough pity party for Cordelia. Since I did a favor for you with playing along with this game and since I help you in your monster-of-the-week-vanquishings, you are going to do a favor for me."  
"What's that?"  
"Give a friend a present."  
  
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige recited the words that would bless the potion they had just made when the poof of smoke came around it. A soul. A bright, full of life soul in a tiny little bottle. Who would've thought? Piper reached for the bottle and clasped it into her hands. Walking towards Cordelia, she smiled and prayed that this would work.  
"Are you sure?"  
"It's the only way to make him happy."  
"But you make him happy, honey." Phoebe popped in.  
"Not that happy." Cordelia shrugged her shoulders. Piper laid the bottle into Cordelia's hands and held them tight.  
"Be careful. Remember, it just is."  
"I will. Thank you." Cordelia hugged Piper and Phoebe for their help. Paige, tall as she was, came over and hovered over all of them.

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT**  
_MID-AFTERNOON_  
  
Cordelia came into her apartment and set the keys down on the catchall next to the door.  
"Angel? I'm home." She said like it was a normal everyday thing. Looking around, she didn't know exactly where he was. She went into the bedroom to find him packing up his "clothes" into a suitcase that had just shown up out of thin air. "Where ya going?" She said hopping onto the bed and shaking the mattress up and down. Angel didn't say anything, but kept folding and re-folding his shirts. Cordelia put her hand over his and asked again. "Where are you going?"  
"Los Angeles."  
"Oh." Cordelia saddened and she looked down.  
"Don't start Cordelia."  
"Start what?"  
"You're pouting and don't give me one of your speeches that cause me to think about what I'm doing. Because I've decided and I'm going back to Los Angeles. They need me there. Much more than you do."  
"Angel, that's not true. I need you..." He cut her off before she could tell him anything more.  
"No, Cordelia. Stop right there. I don't want to hear it. Last night was great and then this morning, you left. I don't know where and I don't care anymore. I came here to prove to you that you're the one. The one for me; my only; you know, etcetera. Last night was almost the best night of my life, save the part where we didn't actually go all the way..."  
"Wait, we didn't have sex?"  
"No, Cordelia, we didn't. I stopped before we could. But don't change the subject. I need to go back to Los Angeles before anything else gets out of hand and before we do something that..." He stopped looking over at her. Throwing his shirt into the suitcase and started to pace before her. She threw the bottle into his suitcase before she forgot, hoping he would see it once he got back. "I love you."  
"No you don't."  
"Yes I do."  
"No you don't."  
"Don't argue with me. I do love you and you love me."  
"You love Buffy. Always have, always will." Cordelia said, looking away from him.  
"Yes, that's true. I will always love Buffy in some way, but I will not love her the way I love you. You are the one. The only one for me. Come back with me. Please." Angel knelt down and put his hands on her knees, looking into her honey hued eyes.  
"I can't." She whispered.  
"Fine." Angel slammed the suitcase and grabbed it, walking out of her bedroom. "Goodbye." He finally said in a concluding way as he slammed her apartment door. Cordelia lay back on the bed and buried her head into a pillow and screamed. Why did it have to end this way?  
  
**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
WOLFRAM & HART, ATTORNEYS AT LAW  
ANGEL'S PENTHOUSE**  
_TWO WEEKS LATER_  
  
"You need to get out of bed Angelcakes." Lorne came into his bedroom and opened up the blinds to let the sun in. "It's already three o'clock."  
"I'm a creature of the night Lorne. This is when I sleep." Angel said, muffled under a pillow.  
"That's a bunch of bullcrap, Angel. You run Hell Incorporated, if you haven't forgotten that."  
"So?"  
"So, get up and lead us." Lorne pulled off the sheets revealing his bare butt. "And get dressed for heaven sakes."  
  
Angel took a seat at the head of the conference room table and wiped his sleepy eyes to look at the rest of his friends and the Board of Directors.  
"Mr. Angel, we need to have a status on this file." One of the Directors said, pulling Angel out of his sleepy state, again.  
"What file?"  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Hutter, our boss has been going through a rough time. We will see that this file is updated and reviewed by our science and research divisions."  
"Thank you, Mr. Pryce. I think that is all the things we have for review." Mr. Hutter responded. "And as always, it is a pleasure to see you back Mr. Angel."  
"Thanks." Angel muttered and waved off. The Board of Directors retreated out of the board room and the gang hovered around Angel.  
"What?"  
"What?! Are you kidding me? You made us look like fools in front of them Angel." Gunn simplified for him without breaking out a stake and shoving it through his heart.  
"We found this." Fred set the tiny blue bottle on the table in front of him.  
"What is it?" He asked, not knowing. He leaned forward and looked into it. The glow from inside was beautiful and shiny.  
"We don't know, maybe you could tell us." Lorne said.  
"I don't know. Where did you get it?"  
"Out of your penthouse." Wesley said.  
"You went through my stuff?" Angel shouted.  
"It was on your dresser. Do you know what it is?" Fred said, sitting down beside him.  
"Did you not hear me, Fred? I don't know what it is." Angel said again, taking the piece of paper off of the bottle and reading it.  
  
_Don't ask  
Just drink_  
  
Drink it? He wasn't going to drink anything if he didn't know what it was. Wesley grabbed the note out of his hand and read the other side.  
  
_Wesley, if Angel doesn't drink this within 3 weeks of  
Leaving here, this won't work. Make him drink it.  
It's his permanent soul.  
-Cordelia_  
  
"Hold him down." Wesley told the others. Gunn and Lorne grabbed him while Spike held his legs down and Fred opened his mouth. "Now, now Angel. Don't be such a baby. This won't hurt a bit." Wesley said, jokingly as he poured the potion down his throat. Angel closed his mouth and went wild after the people whom he trusted the most.

"What the hell was that stuff? It's awful." Angel stuck out his tongue in disgust as a yellow light shown from within and bursted from his stomach.  
"That worked?"  
"Of course it did. It's Charmed." Gunn said, smiling at his friend.  
"Okay, I hate to break up the family homecoming, but could someone get me that flask?" Spike asked, pointing to the console with the liquor on top of it. Spike held his head and the vision came, knocking him back into chair and rolling him around the room. "Damn it. That never gets easier." He said, with Fred handing him the flask. He opened it, shoving the liquor down his throat. "Okay, get your pad Wesley, here's what I saw..."  
  
**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  
CLUB P3**  
  
Leo and Piper were behind the bar when he saw Cordelia emerge from the outside and hurry down the stairs like something was happening. Phoebe and Paige turned around in their stools and looked at her.  
"Hey sweetie." Phoebe said.  
"Hey guys." Cordelia sat down on a stool next to him and Leo handed her a blue margarita, which he knew was her favorite. "Thanks Leo."  
"Don't we look all pretty." Piper said, looking at Cordelia with her painted up face and dress that made her look like a movie star, which she still had in the back of her mind that she was going to be someday soon.  
"Thanks." She said quietly and sipping on her margarita.  
"You okay honey?" Paige asked, leaning her head onto Cordelia's shoulder.  
"I'm fine. I'm just..."  
"Missing him?" Paige said, finishing her sentence. Cordelia nodded her head and wiped her pinky with the salt and inserted it into her mouth. "You know what you need?"  
"What's that?"  
"A chick flick, chocolate and a whole lot of us." Paige suggested, being serious. Cordelia smiled back only to get even more let down when a happy couple stood next to her, looking at each other with loving eyes. "Okay, that's it!" Paige said, grabbing Cordelia's hand and tugging her along. Phoebe laughed and ran after them, wanting the girl's night as Paige as mentioned.  
  
"So this is your movie?" Cordelia asked Phoebe, watching Billy charm Mary Sue into an innocent kiss.  
"The best, isn't it?" Phoebe munched on the popcorn that was in front of her.  
"He looks like a good kisser."  
"Oh, he is." Phoebe said, remembering that kiss he placed on her lips. Cordelia looked down at her, wondering. "Oh, long story."  
"Like always."  
"Cordy, do you always keep blood in your fridge?" Paige asked coming from the kitchen.  
"Oh, that was from when you know who was here." She said, the sad look coming back on her face.  
"Hey! None of that." Paige swatted her lightly on the knee.  
"Yeah, watch Billy." Phoebe said, dipping her head back into Cordelia's lap and smiling, making Cordelia smile too. She looked into the screen but all she could think of was him. The man of her dreams: her Angel.  
  
**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
WOLFRAM & HART, ATTORNEYS AT LAW**  
  
"Are we ready?" The photographer said from behind the lens for the forty-second time.  
"I think so. Just one more minute." Wesley added, looking at his family posing pretty behind the desk. "Spike, move a little to the left. Sweetheart, a little bit to your right. There - perfect!" Wesley quickly got behind the desk and cued the photographer to shoot.  
"Alright, everybody say cheese."  
"Cheese..." The started to say when the Charmed Ones, Leo and Cordelia popped in.  
"Freeze!" Piper waved her hands at the photographer as he stood frozen in time. "Okay, now it's your turn." She added, referring to Phoebe and Cordelia with their kickboxing moves. Cordelia swung around the desk and grabbed some of Angel's weapons, throwing one to Phoebe and one to Paige. The shape shifters revealed themselves then, moving quickly towards the Charmed Ones and their friend. Cordelia hopped up onto the desk while the Fang Gang just stared at the commotion. The shape shifter came after Cordelia and grabbed her leg. She swung the sword at him, trying to cut his head off when he pinned her down on the desk. His filthy demon hands covered her neck and started to cut off her oxygen.  
"A little help here guys." She yelled at the Fang Gang. Angel finally took the demon and threw him against the wall. "Thanks." She jumped up on the desk again and went flying into the next shape shifter, knocking him out the window and flying down to the surface of the Earth. She backed up and held the rest of the shape shifters off while Piper, Phoebe and Paige read the spell off quickly.  
"Demons beware of our wrath, take these bodies back to the place from where they come, all the things they did undone." They said as the shape shifters disappeared, exploding into nothing.  
"I love that part." Phoebe commented. The Fang Gang moved from behind the desk and out into the open floor. The Charmed Ones took everyone out of the room, leaving Cordelia and Angel alone together again.  
"Hi." Angel said with his hands on his hips.  
"Hi Angel."


	6. Six

**PART SIX**  
  
**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  
WOLFRAM & HART, ATTORNEYS AT LAW**  
_LOBBY_  
  
"So, we're just supposed to stay out here until they finally admit something to each other?" Gunn asked.  
"That's the plan." Paige told him, coming over to his side.  
"Do you know how long that's going to take?" Spike said.  
"Not really." Piper said, sitting down on the sofa in the middle of the lobby. Gunn looked back and peered into the glass, hoping to hear or see something between the two.  
  
_ANGEL'S OFFICE_  
  
Turning towards the window, Angel shut the blinds and the rest of the world out of their private conversation. Walking back over towards her, he grabbed a hold of her waist and pulled her into his lips and didn't let go.  
"I was wondering when you were going to show up." Angel said, breaking off the kiss, but not their embrace.  
"But what about..."  
"No, stop right there. We aren't going through this again. I'm not in love with Buffy. And before you even start with me, kiss me." Angel said as Cordelia leaned up and took him into a deep kiss. Backing away from his lips before things got anymore out of hand, she smiled at him. Opening her mouth to try and say something, Angel covered it with his hand. "Okay, so you still don't get to talk. You listen. I love you. I love you and only you. It's been you since the beginning. Well not the very beginning seeing how I have been around since the 1700s and..." Cordelia pulled him into a kiss, cutting him off before he went into the whole I-was-turned-into-a-vampire-by-Darla story for the thousandth time. He cupped her face and kissed her again, not wanting anything to ruin this moment.  
"You know what the best part of this is?"  
"What?"  
"I can get happy." Angel smiled at her.  
"You drank it?"  
"Well, kind of had it shoved down my throat, but yeah, I drank it. How'd you do that?"  
"Three little birds helped me." She smiled up at him, fixing his shirt collar.  
"They're handy to have around."  
"Yes they are."  
"Can we get happy now?"  
"Oh yea. Very happy." Cordelia smiled and kissed him again, toppling him over and landing on the floor. Gunn and Lorne broke through, wanting to know what was going on.  
"Doesn't anybody knock anymore?"


	7. Seven

_So you want to know how this all ends do you?  
  
It's simple really...wait, that is so wrong. When have you ever known or witnessed anything in our lives that has ended simple? Never!  
  
So here's the sitch: Paige and Gunn kept floating around the obvious until an anonymous letter showed up in Phoebe's column and mad them come to their senses. They're going on their third date this Friday. Yay for them! And for the rest of us.  
  
Piper and Leo are busy being Piper and Leo. Parenting to two magical children is no easy task, but they're dealing and becoming a family again.  
  
Wesley & Fred have started those "tests" that Wesley mentioned before. And I have to say by the work they've been missing and the smiles on their faces when they do come to work - it's working.   
  
Harmony got promoted and is now an executive assistant to Ram, one of the senior partners._

_Lorne just released his new album: A World Without Music and it's fantastic!  
  
My official title now if Inter-galatic Liaison and my powers are just coming into play. It's so cool, I can actually move stuff with my mind and I have enough power to generate electricity.  
  
Paige helped me open up the Chase Agency is Los Angeles and I appointed her to run the San Francisco division, even though she now has an obsession with the L.A. office.  
  
And as for me & Angel, well, I'm just going to tell you that we're happy.  
  
**Extremely happy.**_

_p.s. And just so you know, You're Invited! Pick up your invitation _


End file.
